Astronomers See How a Centaur Can Become a Comet

Astronomers observed that Centaur 450P/LONEOS, a small solar system body, has become active and developed a vapor and dust tail similar to comets. This transition was triggered by a close encounter with Saturn in 1992, which altered its orbit and brought it closer to the Sun. The object is now transitioning from an icy body to a cometary one, with a strong presence of carbon dioxide in its tail, suggesting that dry ice is driving the change. The study used the James Webb Space Telescope and Gemini North observatory to analyze the object's behavior, revealing that it is venting volatile gases and forming a tail.

• Centaur 450P/LONEOS is transitioning from an icy body to a cometary one.
• The object's tail shows the presence of ice crystals, supporting the idea that water ice forms into ice crystals and releases carbon dioxide.
• A future close encounter with Jupiter could shift the object even closer to the Sun, potentially vaporizing ice and enriching the tail with water.
• The study highlights how icy bodies can become comets over time, offering insights into the processes that transform these objects.

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